Rob Hamilton died suddenly on October 7, 2005. He was a well-known attorney, a loving son, brother, husband, and most importantly a devoted father who left behind a one-year old daughter and a three year old son. Rob died of Cardiac Sarcoidosis and like many people with this disease, sudden death occurred in the absence of a previous cardiac event.

The Rob Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament was created by Rob's family, friends and colleagues as a tribute to a man who meant so much to so many…and still does. In his memory, the event raises funds to support the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. The mission is to help ensure that patients in south central Pennsylvania have access to the latest advances in cardiovascular disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and that awareness is raised and research is focused on cardiac related diseases including the area of Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

The Rob Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament has raised more than $225,000 since 2006 to benefit the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute. These funds have been dedicated to support and enhance the important programs and projects that enable the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute to be a national role model for comprehensive cardiovascular care.

Since 2006 the Rob Hamilton Library and The Rob Hamilton Annual Lecture have been established within the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute. Additionally in 2014 the Robert Hamilton Family Community Outreach Endowment was established to raise awareness about the prevalence of heart disease and to facilitate education on how to respond to cardiac episodes. These assets are powerful and essential resources in the effort to advance state of the art cardiovascular patient care along with research and education.

The goal and commitment of The Rob Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament is to make a difference in our community and region by helping the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute continue to provide the most advanced, comprehensive cardiovascular care available. Your support and donations continue to enable the significant healthcare improvements that benefit many lives now and in the future. We look forward to finding new ways to assist and improve the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular diseases for the better health of our community and beyond.

The 9th Annual Rob Hamilton Memorial Lecture

The Rob Hamilton Annual Lecture was established within the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute in 2006. Each year, an expert in the field of cardiovascular medicine or sarcoidosis delivers a lecture intended to enhance the education and awareness of medical professionals and the community.

Amy B. Reed, M.D., Chief and Program Director, Vascular Surgery, Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, Professor of Surgery, Penn State College of Medicine, will give this year's Rob Hamilton Memorial Lecture on Thursday, October 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Media Center, Room T2500. Dr. Reed's talk, "Vascular Disease in Women: We Aren't Just Little Men" is open to the general public.